Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Happy birthday! At 54, Eeyore is believed to be the oldest donkey in the world. He celebrated his birthday with a feast of carrots and hay

He was born the same year Tommy Steele was topping the charts and the Russians sent Sputnik into space.

Like his famous namesake, he's been around for donkey's years - but at the age of 54, Eeyore is being hailed as the oldest living donkey in the world.

Believed to be born in 1957, he is now a Guinness World Record contender for oldest donkey in the world.

The animal named after the gloomy Winnie the Pooh character has outlived other donkeys whose lifespan is usually 25-30 years.

Like his Winnie the Pooh namesake, old Eeyore is prone to glumness - perhaps because he keeps outliving his animal companions. But just for today, if he could talk, he'd likely echo the catchphrase: 'Thanks for noticin' me'

But unlike the 1926 AA Milne creation which was renowned for its love of eating thistles and having the catchphrase 'Thanks for noticin' me' - Eeyore is celebrating his latest birthday with his favourite diet of hay and carrots.

Thanks for noticin' me: Animal lover Selwyn Demmy with Eeyore and his two new friends, goats Andy and Pandy. They all live at Selwyn's Hunters Moon animal sactuary in Mottram St Andrew in Cheshire

Owner Selwyn Demmy, took in Eeyore earlier this month at his animal sanctuary in Cheshire and discovered his two previous owners had him for over 50 years combined.

Originally living with a family in Disley, Derbyshire, the beloved donkey was once tended to by a 20-year-old girl who is now 72 - proving his age to be over 50.

Selwyn heard through his friend Trevor Seetree, 51, that Eeyore was lonely at his second residence, where he was for over 10 years, after his two best friends, llamas Freddie and Merlin, died.

The 78-year-old has taken in homeless and underprivileged animals at his Hunters Moon animal sanctuary in Mottram St Andrew for over 25 years.

He knew that all Eeyore needed was another companion, so he decided to introduce the donkey to his llama Buttons.